BETHLEHEM, Pa. --- The Moravian College baseball team was unable to hold on to a 9-2 lead in the final game of a Landmark Conference series at Susquehanna University, falling to the Crusaders, 10-9, on Sunday but still winning the series 2-1.
The Greyhounds had 15 hits in the contest with senior right fielder Matt Hanson going 5-for-5 with three RBIs and a double while senior shortstop Colin Case was 2-for-4. Senior left fielder Justin Pilchman and junior designated hitter Cameron Leon were both 2-for-5 in the contest with Leon adding three RBIs and a double.
Moravian took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning when Case led off the game with a single to center field and scored on an RBI single to first base by Hanson.
The Blue & Grey pushed the lead to 3-0 with a pair of runs in the top of the third inning. Pilchman had an infield single to start the frame, and Hanson followed with a double to put two runners in scoring position. After two outs, Leon connected on a two-RBI single to left center field.
Susquehanna answered in the bottom half of the third with two runs to cut Moravian's lead to 3-2.
The Hounds got the runs right back in the top of the fourth. Sophomore center fielder Anthony Gaetaniello walked with one out, and Case followed with his second hit of the game. After an error loaded the bases, Hanson ripped a two-RBI single to center field.
The Greyhounds pushed the advantage to 9-2 with four runs in the top of the fifth inning. Senior third baseman Ryan Luke started the frame with a single to left field, and he scored from first base on an RBI double by Leon to right center. Senior second baseman Alex Longernecker drove in Leon with a one-out, RBI single up the middle. Gaetaniello followed with a single to put Longernecker on third where he scored from on an RBI sacrifice fly by Case. Pilchman would chase Gaetaniello across the plate with an RBI infield single.
The Crusaders slowly cut into Moravian's lead with two runs in the fifth, one in the sixth and two more in the seventh to pull within 9-7. Susquehanna pushed three runs home in the bottom of the eighth to take the lead.
Moravian used five pitchers in the game with freshman Nicholas Mazzella starting on the mound, and he registered five strikeouts in six innings of action. Freshman John Wiedmayer and juniors Ian Carbone, Hunter Guard and Anthony Zaloga all saw action with Carbone, Guard and Zaloga each recording a strikeout.
The Greyhounds, who have lost five Landmark games this spring by a run, are scheduled to return to action on Tuesday, April 14 in a non-conference game at Keystone College slated for a 3:30 p.m. first pitch.